CLEVELAND (AP) – Kevin Love scored 32 of his 38 points in the first half, LeBron James was ejected for the first time in his career and the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their longest winning streak since 2015 to nine games by downing the Miami Heat 108-97 on Tuesday night.
Love had his way with every defender Miami put on him, finishing 10 of 16 from the field and 14 of 17 on free throws. He scored 22 in the first quarter and the Cavs opened a 27-point lead before halftime.
James added 21 points before he was slapped with two technical fouls by referee Kane Fitzgerald and tossed with 1:59 left in the third quarter and the Cavs leading by 23. It was the first time James was thrown out in 1,082 career games.
Dion Waiters scored 21 and Bam Adebayo had 19 for the Heat, who had won three in a row. Goran Dragic finished with just seven points – 12 below his team-leading scoring average.
WIZARDS 92, WOLVES 89
In Minneapolis, Otto Porter Jr. hit a 22-foot jumper with 25 seconds remaining, lifting Washington to the victory.
Washington trailed for nearly the entire fourth quarter. After Porter’s jumper, Minnesota had two shots at the other end but couldn’t convert.
The Wizards got the ball back with 4.2 seconds remaining when the ball went out of bounds off Timberwolves forward Taj Gibson. Officials originally ruled that Minnesota maintained possession, but a review overturned the call and gave the ball to Washington.
Porter led Washington with 22 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 16.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota for his league-leading 18th double-double.
BUCKS 112, KINGS 87
In Sacramento, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 of his 32 points in the third quarter, helping Milwaukee to the runaway road win.
Eric Bledsoe had 21 points, five assists and five rebounds for the Bucks, who won for the second time in five games. Khris Middleton scored 12 points.
Milwaukee led by as many as 36 and won despite not scoring a second-chance point.
It was Antetokounmpo’s eighth 30-point game this season.
Garrett Temple scored 18 for the Kings, and Buddy Hield added 13 points. Willie Cauley-Stein had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
JAZZ 106, NUGGETS 77
In Salt Lake City, Derrick Favors scored 24 points, and the Jazz put away the Nuggets with a dominant second half.
Rookie Donovan Mitchell added 16 points as Utah matched a season high with its third straight victory. Jonas Jerebko had 15 and Ricky Rubio finished with 13 points.
The Jazz outscored the Nuggets 58-28 in the second half.
Gary Harris scored 14 of his 18 points for Denver in the first half, and Kenneth Faried had 11 points and eight rebounds.